Four Steps to a Greener And Healthier Kitchen

These days most people at least put some thought to creating less waste, living healthier and smarter, and lessening their carbon footprint. While there are ways in every area of your home, life, and job where you can do things to be greener, this article is going to focus on having a greener and healthier kitchen.

Your kitchen is really one of those areas where you need to work more than you think when it comes to being green, wasting less, and not leaving such a large footprint on the environment. It’s a lot of work, but it isn’t hard work, and it’s well worth it when you start saving money, and saving the earth.

Throw Away Less

Start out by making less trash. That means shopping with reusable bags so you have less plastic bags heading to landfills. You can also take your own reusable produce bags with you, rather than using the plastic bags offered up in the produce section.

Instead of tossing away spoiled or uneaten food, start composting. You can use your compost for fertilizer if you are gardening, or just keep it as a way to break down your trash and have less going into the garbage. You may want to get better at making meals the right sizes and keeping leftovers to eat at a later time.

Buy Fresh

Buying fresh foods, like fresh produce, cuts down on waste, since you can get them loose and not packaged. If you don’t have enough fresh options at your local grocery store, consider shopping at farm stands and farmer’s markets, when the season is right. You can get greater discounts this way as well.

Fresh food isn’t just a greener option, it’s also a healthier one. By eating fresh foods you are helping heart health and brain health. You will be eating less sodium and sugar, and getting more vitamins and nutrients.

Grow Your Own

You could also consider growing your own, or even raising your own, food. Even if you don’t have the yard for a garden you can container garden. You can save a great deal of money by starting your own herb garden. Use your compost to fertilize your garden too.

There are many vegetables and fruits you can grow from scraps of those you’ve eaten. You could raise chicken, for meat or even just eggs. Even many cities are now allowing chickens.

Ditch The Gadgets

Do you use many gadgets in your kitchen? Do you really need them? If you can’t live without your gadgets, make sure that you are always unplugging them when you are not using them. This can cut down on your carbon footprint, and your electric bill.

If you can do by hand what your gadget does for you, or if you have numerous gadgets that can do the same thing, consider letting go of some of them. You’ll not only save money on your electric bill, but you’ll also free up some kitchen space. Donate them to a thrift store so they can find a new home.